A few months ago, when he auditioned for Digicel Rising Stars at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, 19-year-old Najhae Walters had no idea that he would make it to the top 5.

The former Calabar High student, who is presently a business administration student at the University of Technology (Utech), Jamaica, was eliminated from the televised talent competition two Sundays ago, finishing in fourth place.

Walters, who was one of the front runners for the title of Digicel Rising Star 2024, emerged as a fan favourite with his departure from the competition being a bittersweet moment for many.

“When it was announced that I’d be leaving the competition, it was a bittersweet moment for me; because it may not have been where I wanted to end up in terms of placement but also having a moment and feeling of gratitude that I was enabled to make it that far into the competition with the help and support of others. Overall, that was the happiest night for me,” Walters told the Jamaica Observer recently.

Walters shared that winning the competition was something that he always dreamt about.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to showcase my talent on that stage on Sunday nights and winning the competition was no exception. It would’ve meant so much to me; the younger me would’ve been elated and, above all else, proud.”

He entered the competition on the advice of family and friends.

“Aside from it being a dream of mine, I entered this year because of the encouragement of many friends, family members and members of the congregation at my home church. If it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t have entered this year and tried at a later date. I’ve never tried before, so this was my first time entering the competition,” Walters explained.

He described the Digicel Rising Stars journey as a learning experience.

“It was really a learning experience for me with many fulfilling and fun moments along the way. Making new friends and networking, marketing myself in the process as well as putting myself out there and gaining exposure and overall, just displaying and sharpening my craft,” he said.

The support system that he had in place was important during his journey.

“The support from family and friends to this day still has me in awe; the level of hard work being put it in whether it be for campaigning strategies or rehearsals or song selections, it was not only genuine support but unwavering as well. I am truly blessed to have been placed in the family I’m in, and also surrounding myself with the set of friends I have today,” Walters shared.

And what was the best advice that he received from the judges throughout the competition?

“The best piece of advice I’ve received from the judges was to step outside of my comfort zone and give new things a try, even if it may seem daunting,” he said.

He added that he will be focusing his energy on getting more involved in the industry, noting that despite the Rising Stars elimination, he is just at the beginning of his journey.

“What’s next for me is even more music, but music of my own rather. Putting out music for the world to hear and know that this isn’t the end but just the beginning of my career where music is concerned.”

The Digicel Rising Stars’ finalists are vying for $1.5 million, which will be awarded to the first-place winner. Second and third-place winners will receive $600,000 and $400,000 respectively.